Electric cut-off for marine and other steam-engines.



R. ZOPPA.

ELECTRIC GUT-OPP FOR MARINE AND OTHER STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1912.

1,056,482, Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

5 ntoz COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH C(L, \VASHINGTDN. 1:. c4

ELECTRIC GUT-OPP FOR MARINE AND OTHER STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.30, 1912.

R. ZOPPA.-

Patented Elan 18,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLF ZOPPA, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC CUT-OFF FOR MARINE AND OTHER STEAM-ENGINES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RUnoLr Zorra, a citizen of the German Empire, residing in Montclair, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Cut-Offs for Marine and other Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to an electric cut-off for marine and stationary steam-engines by which the supply of steam to the engine can be automatically cut off and the engine stopped either when the screw of a marine engine is lifted out of the water or when in case of an accident, the stopping of a stationary engine is required from any part of a factory, so that the marine or stationary steam-engine is more fully within control, less exposed to shocks when the screw leaves the water, and also the engine quietly stopped in case of emergency for preventing accidents to life and limb, and for this purpose the invention consists of a cutoff for steam-engines which comprises a throttle-valve for the steam supply-pipe, a valve-rod, a stop-plate on the valve-rod guided and movable with the same, a fulcrumed armature; two pairs of electro-magnets actuating said armature, stop-links pivoted at their inner ends to a fixed plate and near their outer ends to lever-arms of said armature, and a switch-device for exciting one electromagnet or the other for oscillating the armature and stop-links for automatically closing or opening the throttle valve and supply or shut off the steam to the engine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional side-elevation of my improved electric cut-01f for marine or sta tionary engines, showing the throttle-valve in open position, Fig. 2 shows a switch-de vice located near the screw of a vessel, and electrically connected with the cut-off, Fig.

3 is also a sectional side-elevation of the cut-off showing the throttle-valve in closed position Fig. 4 is a front-elevation of the cut-ofi device, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5, 5, Fig. 4.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 30, 1912.

Patented Mar. 18,1913.

Serial No. 739,303.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the main steam supply-pipe of a marine, stationary or other steam-engine. In the supply-pipe is located the usual throttlevalve 0 which is guided in a valve-casing Z). Above the valve is arranged a valve-seat 0 while a stufling-box c for the valve-rod is arranged at the lower portion of the valvecasing. The valve-rod o is connected at its lower end with a slide-plate e, which is guided in suitable ways of an upright sup-- porting-plate 6 On the supporting-plate e are mounted brackets e which carry two parallel rods 6 on which is guided by bracket-sleeves e a vertically reciprocating face-plate c which is connected by a rod 0 with a strap on an eccentric of the driving shaft or with any other reciprocating portion of the engine so that a corresponding vertically-reciprocating motion is imparted to the face-plate 6 To the faceplate e is fulcrumed a rocking armaturelever (Z which carries at its outwardly-projecting tapering end two armatures (Z which work in connection with two pairs of electromagnets (Z which are supported by angle-brackets (Z on the face-plate 6 as shown clearly in Fig. 4c. The face-plate e is provided with a slot 8 in which the armature-lever (Z is oscillated, and with a web or plate .9 at right angles thereto, to which the armature-lever (Z is fulcrumed. The inner end of the armature-lever cl is formed of two obtusely-angled arms (Z which are provided with recesses (Z at their outer ends that engage pins 6 on two links f, which are pivoted to the web 8 at their inner ends, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3. One of the pivot-links f extends in upward, the other in downward direction so as to be placed into the path of the raised upper or lower portions 6 of the slide-plate e. The raised portions 6 are provided with elastic cushions 6 for taking up the concussions with the ends of the pivot-links 7 when either one of them is placed in contact therewith. The electro magnets (Z are placed in electrical connection with a switch-device when the cut-01f device is used with a marine-engine on board of a vessel, said switch-device consisting of a float h, which rises up and down with the level of the water in a well. it

passing through the hull of the vessel, the Heat It being provided with a stem k which is guided by rollers it in the well and provided with a projection 71 that engages a lulcrumed switch-lever it the opposite end of which forms electrical contact with two stop-plates it, one above and the other below the inner end of the fulcrumed lever, as shown in Fig. 2.

hen the throttle-valve b is in its open position, the lower electro-magnet is energized and the lower armature of the lever (Z is in contact with the lower stop-plate it, so that the lower pivot-link actuated by the lower arm of the armature-lever (Z is placed in the path of the vertically-reciprocating slide-plate and the lower valve or stop on the same, as shown in Fig. 1. I11 this posi tion of the armature-lever (Z, the slide-plate e is prevented from being raised as the end of the lower pivot-link f is located in its path so that the throttle-valve is held in open position and prevented from closing the steam supply-pipe a by the throttle valve 0. As soon as the propeller of the vessel is raised above the level of the water, the float h sinks in the well h to such an extent that the projection h on the stem of the same will engage the switch-lever h and move its end into contact with the upper contact-stop, so that instantly the lower electromagnet (Z is switched out and the upper electromagnet (Z is switched into circuit, thereby the upper armature of the lever (Z attracted, and the lower pivot-link f moved out of the path of the slide-plate 6, while on the other hand the upper pivotlink f is moved inwardly into the path ofthe upper stop of the slide-plate 6 so as to engage the same and move the slideplate e and thereby the throttlevalve Z) into closed position in the steam-supply-pipe a, as shown in Fig. 3. As soon as the propeller is returned below the level of the water, the float rises and the position of the switchlever is reversed, that is to say, moved into its former position so that the upper electromagnet (Z is switched out and the lower electro-magnet (Z switched into circuit and the armaturelever with the lower pivot-link moved into the position shown in Fig. 1, so as to open the throttle-valve of the steam supply-pipe by the downward motion imparted to the slide-plate e of the lower pivotlink f placed into its path.

When the improved cut-off is used for stationary engines in mills, factories and the like, a number of ordinary push-button switches are arranged in different parts of the building within convenient reach of the machines that are driven by the stationary steam-engine, so that whenever, in case of an accident to any machine or attendant, it is desired to quickly stop the motion of the engine, the simple actuation of the switch will close the throttle-valve in the manner described and stop the engine by cutting off the supply of steam to the same. Likewise a number of switches may be arranged on board of a vessel, so that in case of an accident, such as the bursting of a steam-pipe or breaking of an engine-cylinder, the throttle-valve could be closed and the motion of the engine arrested.

I claim:

1. An electric cut-oft for marine and other steam-engines, comprising a throttle-valve, a slide-plate provided with stops, a Valverod connecting the throttle-valve with said slide-plate, a reciprocating face-plate, an armature-lever, fulcrumed to said face-plate, electro-magnets on said face-plate for oscillating said armature-lever and pivot-links operated by said armature-lever for engaging either one of the stops of the slide-plate and moving the throttle-valve into open or closed position.

2. An electric cut-off for marine and other steam-engines, comprising a throttle-valve in the steam supply-pipe, a valve-rod, a slide-plate provided with stops connected with said valve-rod, a reciprocating faceplate, pivot-links on said face-plate and adapted to engage one or the other stop of the slide-plate, a forked armature-lever fulcrumed to said face-plate, and engaging said pivot-links, electromagnets arranged at opposite sides of the armaturelever, and a switch adapted to throw one electromagnet or the other into circuit for oscillating the armature-lever and links and closing or opening the throttle-valves.

3. In an electric cutoff for marine and other steam-engines, the combination of a stationary main-plate, a slide-plate guided on the same, a throttle-valve in the steam supplypipe, a valve-rod connecting the throttle-valve with the slide-plate, stops on the slide-plate, a reciprocating face-plate guided on the supporting plate, two pairs of electromagnets, an armature-lever provided with obtusely-angled arms, pivot-links engaged by said arms and a switch-device for throwing one electromagnet or the other into circuit and move either one of the pivotlinks into the path of the slidcplate for moving the throttle-valve into open or closed position.

1-. In an electric cut-01f for marine and other steam-engines, the combination of a stationary main-plate, a slide-plate guided on the same, a throttle-valve in the steam supply-pipe, a valve-rod connecting the throttle-valve with the slide-plate, stops on the slide-plate, a reciprocating face-plate guided on the mainplate, pivot-links applied to the faceplate and provided with pins,'two pairs of electromagnets. an armature-lever provided with obtusely-angled and recessed In testimony, that I claim the foregoing arms for engaging pins on the pivot-links, as my invention, I have signed my name in and a switch-device actuating alternately presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

the electromagnets and oscillating the arma- RUDOLF ZOPPA. 5 ture-lever and pivot-links for placing the \Vitnesses:

throttle-valve into open or closed position in PAUL GOEPEL,

the steam supply-pipe. JOHN MURTAGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

